NYC Met Opera Strikes Deal with Musicians Union; IATSE Local One is Still Locked Out

Labor News, Industry News

May 12, 2021 Industry, Labor, News

Reprinted from The Washington Post by Ronald Blum of The AP on May 11, 2021.

The Metropolitan Opera reached a tentative agreement Tuesday on a four-year contract with the American Guild of Musical Artists, one of three major labor deals needed for the New York company to resume performances in September.

The deal for the chorus, singers, dancers, actors, stage managers and staff directors would start August 1, if ratified in a vote scheduled May 24. The new contract would start following the expiration of the current contract.

Still without deals are the unions for the orchestra and the stagehands. The Met’s contract with Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians expires July 31 and its agreement with Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees expired last July 31. The Met locked out Local One on December 8 and has said it was exploring the use of outside workers to start construction of sets for next season’s new productions. …

Washington Post 5/11